Welding systems with a rolling support base having a brake

Abstract

A welding sled, comprising a support base comprising one or more attachment points for attachment of a wire supply support and attachment of a wire drive assembly; a plurality of rollers coupled to a bottom of the support base; and a brake configured to selectively brake the welding sled.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A welding sled, comprising:
 a support base comprising one or more attachment points for attachment of a wire supply support and attachment of a wire drive assembly;   a plurality of rollers coupled to a bottom of the support base, each of the rollers having an axial length longer than a radius of the roller; and   a brake configured to selectively brake the welding sled, wherein the brake comprises:
 a contact pad configured to selectively extend from first position on a first side of the support base through the support base to apply a braking force in a second position on a second side of the support base; and 
 an actuator accessible from a top or a side of the support base and configured to:
 actuate the contact pad from the first position to the second position to apply the braking force; and 
 actuate the contact pad from the second position to the first position. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The welding sled as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the contact pad is configured to apply the braking force to one or more of the rollers. 
     
     
         3 . The welding sled as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the contact pad is a flat pad configured to apply pressure against the one or more of the rollers. 
     
     
         4 . The welding sled as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the contact pad is a wedge configured to apply pressure to two rollers of the plurality of rollers between the two rollers. 
     
     
         5 . The welding sled as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the contact pad is configured to extend through at least one of a top surface of the support base or a side surface of the support base. 
     
     
         6 . The welding sled as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of rollers comprises at least five rollers. 
     
     
         7 . The welding sled as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of rollers comprises at least one roller that is not braked by the contact pad. 
     
     
         8 . The welding sled as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the actuator comprises a lever configured to actuate the contact pad to contact the one or more of the rollers when a handle of the lever is pushed in a first direction to an engaged position. 
     
     
         9 . The welding sled as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the lever is configured to actuate the contact pad to move out of contact with the one or more of the rollers when the handle of the lever is pushed in a second direction to a released position. 
     
     
         10 . The welding sled as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the brake further comprises:
 a biasing element configured to bias the contact pad to apply the braking force to the one or more rollers; and   a lever configured to disengage the contact pad from the one or more rollers when a handle of the lever is pushed in a first direction, and to allow the biasing element to move the contact pad into contact with the one or more rollers when the level is released.   
     
     
         11 . The welding sled as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the brake is configured to apply the braking force to a support surface on which the support base is located. 
     
     
         12 . The welding sled as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the brake comprises an contact pad and an arm rotatably coupled to the support base, and configured to rotate between a braked position in which the arm holds the contact pad in contact with a support surface on which the support base is located, and a released position in which the arm holds the contact pad out of contact with the support surface. 
     
     
         13 . The welding sled as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a wire drive assembly attached to the support base via one or more of the attachment points. 
     
     
         14 . The welding sled as defined in  claim 13 , further comprising a wire supply support attached to the support base via one or more of the attachment points and configured to support a wire supply spool.